In the popular anime Shuya Marionette, there is a character whom everyone looks upon with scorn: the so-called “Piggy Duke,” third son of Duke Denning and a student of Kirsch Mage Institute. One fan is therefore dismayed when he wakes up in the world of Shuya Marionette, in the body of the canonically detested Slowe Denning. However, he has no intention to let events unfold as they will. Using his knowledge of the anime's plot, he sets out to change his pig-like habits, improve his rock-bottom reputation in school, and do everything in his power to reach a happy ending with Charlotte. But this will be no easy task, as the anime's antagonistic forces have plans of their own.
Reincarnated as the Piggy Duke: This Time I'm Gonna Tell Her How I Feel! (Buta Koushaku ni Tensei shita kara, Kondo wa Kimi ni Suki to Iitai) is a light novel series written by Rhythm Aida and illustrated by nauribon, which was serialized from 2017 to 2020 for 10 volumes. The light novel was adapted into a manga drawn by fujy, and began serialization in Monthly Comic Alive in 2018 and ran for 46 chapters. The novel has been licensed in English by J-Novel Club.
Tropes found in Reincarnated as the Piggy Duke: This Time I'm Gonna Tell Her How I Feel:
- All for Nothing:
- In the main game, the reason behind all of Slowe Denning's personality is so he can intentionally lower his status enough to be able to marry his servant who he is in love with. By the time he does, Charlotte falls for the Valjean, the Main Character, and joins his harem.
- The reason Slowe entered into a contest was to get a very rare Weight Loss potion. After obtaining it, Charlotte sees that the main ingredient in the jar is a slug-like creature which freaks her out, causing her to accidently drop and break it.
- Anime Hair: Slowe has a tuft of silver-colored hair at the front.
- Big Eater: The original Piggy duke eats a lot. Current Piggy duke decided to go on a diet to slim himself down.
- Didn't Think This Through: The original Slowe's plan was to be a Jerkass who is Hated by All in a Long Game plan to lower his standing to be able to marry his servant Charlotte. He didn't realize by the time he did she would fall in love with someone else since he never told her.
- Fat Bastard: The original Slowe is an obese jerkass whom is Hated by All (in-show, anyway).
- Growling Gut: Since the original Slowe was a Big Eater while current Slowe wants to lose weight by reducing his consumption, this happened a few times as his body struggled to adjust.
- Harem Genre: Not the novel itself, but the Show Within a Show Shuya Marionette.
- Hero with Bad Publicity: The original Slowe, who attempts to marry his maid Charlotte (who he secretly knows is the princess of a fallen kingdom) by making himself such a Jerkass such that he'd be disowned and would be socially acceptable for him to marry Charlotte. The current Slowe is trying to scratch off the "Bad Publicity" part.
- Hidden Depths: Slowe might look like a Fat Bastard, but he is very skilled in magic and is blessed by the spirits.
- Money Fetish: Valjean Greatlorde, the original main character, is from a very poor area and is easily distracted by the sound of money hitting the ground. Slow used this to distract him during a competition.
- Next Life as a Fictional Character: An Otaku reincarnated into the popular anime in the role as “Piggy Duke”.
- Poor Communication Kills: A reason why the original Slowe eventually lost Charlotte to Valjean is that, despite all he did, he never told Charlotte he loved her. The current Slowe seeks to avoid this.
- "Reborn as Villainess" Story: Gender Inverted. He was reborn as the "villain" during the Main Character's school arc.
- Red Baron: Slowe is often called "Piggy Duke" due to his initial obesity. Valjean is called "Lord Pauper" due to his Perpetual Poverty.
- Secret Secret-Keeper: Charlotte is secretly the princess of a kingdom that'd been destroyed by a hostile empire. She's working as Slowe's servant and posing as a commoner out of fear that the knowledge of a survivor of the royal family could spark a war, which would inevitably lead to the people who took her in risking their own lives. Unbeknownst to her, a spirit informed Slow of all of this when he first found and rescued her, and he's been keeping her secret ever since, waiting for the day when she'd tell him herself.
- Signature Laugh: Fitting his title as "Piggy Duke", Slowe has a laugh that sounds like a pig oinking.
- Unpopular Popular Character: Slowe Denning was very popular among fans for this very reason. He saved the main heroine from slavery and allowed her to work as his servant, and spent every day and night secretly fighting off people seeking to kill her. In order to keep things secret and in hopes of being disowned so he'd be low enough status to pursue her hand, he deliberately pretended to be the most arrogant, pushy, creepy bastard possible. As a result, in-universe he was reviled by everyone, and the "hero" managed to steal all the glory, make him out as a villain, and eventually even steal the heroine's heart.
- Verbal Tic: Slowe has the tendency to make pig noises.
- Who Names Their Kid "Dude"?: The main character's name is Slow(e).
